


Temmie and Chara Escape from Guantanamo Bay

by hanktalkin



Series: Swapfell [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Swapfell (Undertale), Codependency, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Misery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 16:54:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15393207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanktalkin/pseuds/hanktalkin
Summary: One of them is a Pollyanna emotionally stunted from years of abuse. The other eats paper. Together, America’s favorite duo takes the Undergound by storm.





	Temmie and Chara Escape from Guantanamo Bay

Waterfall soaked skin and penetrated leather as Chara’s boots sunk into mud and moss. They pushed a flower into the gurgling water, completing the line of blossoms and forging a new way as they brought the bridge to life. A tentative foot revealed that it was sturdy, even if it did sink a few inches into the running river. They walked across.

When they were halfway to the other side they realized they were missing their traveling companion, and turned to see Temmie struggling to make it to them. The white of her chest was thick with brown as she struggled to lift herself above the muck, her stripped sweater long ago discolored to match Chara’s boots. Their own knees and elbows suffered a similar fate; so many stumbles in the damp cavern left a telltale mark.

Temmie’s back foot was deep in the mud, each yank barely making progress. Chara crossed back over and lifted her into their arms.

“Thank,” Temmie managed to mutter. They didn’t expect her to say much more.

Before they could even cross safely, they took a tumble at the end of the bridge, landing on the rocky edge of the other side. They put their free hand out, a frantic attempt not to squish Temmie beneath them. Thankfully, their palm and their left knee took the brunt of the damage, leaving fresh scrapes in their already growing and infected collection.

The Underground was going to kill them

“Human tired,” Temmie pointed out as Chara safely set her on the ground.

It’d only been a few hours since they’d last slept, but the combination of malnutrition and rugged hiking left them with very little energy. Their progress had slowed since entering Waterfall, worse than even Snowdin’s toils. At least they no longer froze to death anymore.

“Okay,” they nodded. Temmie always seemed to know best, helping them figure out battle strategies and solve puzzles before they turned deadly. She knew Chara’s limits better than they did.

 Temmie shook herself, briefly turning into a muddy poofball before hopping down the path. “This way! Tem see grass, make nice bed.”

Sure enough, as Chara followed the perked marker of Temmie’s tail, she guided them to a field of the olive colored grass that sprung up in tufts around Waterfall. There were even a pair of echo flowers bent over a spot on the ground, perfect for protecting against the drizzle that came continuously from the ceiling above. _Dry_ was a rare luxury here.

“I’m already so sleepy…” Chara told Temmie as they grabbed handfuls of grass and patted them beneath the echo flowers. “I think I need something to eat soon…”

They felt bad mentioning it. It wasn’t like Temmie could do anything about it, and if she could she was already doing her best.

“Do you know if echo flowers are edible?” they asked her instead.

Temmie cocked her head to the side. “Tem don’t know. Tem only eat Temmie Flakes.”

The two of them curled up on their homemade bead, like they had so many times on their journey so far. If there was one thing Chara was grateful for it was Temmie; least of all because she was so _warm_. Every time they slept, she would snuggle up into a little ball, becoming Chara’s own personal furnace.

“I don’t have good memories of this grass,” Chara mumbled, the exhaustion already hitting them. “Last time we were hiding in it, Alphys almost got us.”

Temmie shivered. “She hurt you lots. If she grab us.”

Chara reached out and rubbed one of Temmie’s rounded ears. They were so much softer than the pointed ones, and just the right scritches made Temmie melt into their hand.

“It’ll be okay Temmie. If we meet her, I’ll talk to her, and I’ll tell her than I don’t wanna hurt anybody.”

Temmie shivered again. “Scary monster. She always yells, chase Tem when she talk to Sans. Best to stay far away.”

“That’s what I thought about Asgore too,” Chara pointed out. “But he was…nice in the end?” It was true, he’d even gave Chara a small purse full of gold, and wiped away tears he thought they couldn’t see. But that didn’t change the numerous times he’d killed them in his attempts to protect them. “I think he just didn’t know how to be a good Dad.”

Temmie didn’t have a reply to that, but pressed the tip of her nose into Chara’s jumpsuit. Vaguely, Chara wondered if Temmie was a kid like them. She wore a striped shirt, which Chara had spent enough time among monsters to know was indicative of pre-adolescence, but she always seemed so wise to Chara. They wondered where her parents were. If she had parents.

 

Chara didn’t get a chance to ask. One of the echo flowers sheltering them tipped suddenly, showering them both with the water that had collected in its pistil. Chara squeaked in surprise, and Temmie yelped, but the worst of the damage was already done. Miserably, they crawled out of their now ruined bed.

As the two of them started patting down grass to make another one, Chara thought to themself that it didn’t matter who or what Temmie was. All they knew was she was their friend; the only thing in the whole Underground that had been kind since the beginning. As she settled down on their chest again, they combed their finger through her damp hair, wishing they could do something half as nice for her as she’d done for them.

* * *

Chara peered around the corner, Temmie clutching tightly to their shoulder as they gazed in upon the turtle monster. “Gerson” if sign outside the shop was anything to go by.

No other shopkeeper had attacked Chara yet—too intent on swiping their gold—but you could never bee to careful when the whole Undergound hated you more than they hated each other. Chara clutched their stick with muddy hands.

“Go on human!” Temmie whisper-shouted. “Be brave!”

Chara puffed their chest, a convincing display. Now if only they could _actually_ steel their nerves.

They stepped into the shop, the suspicious of its owner flicking to them immediately. But Gerson didn’t attack, so far so good. “A human and a Temmie,” he grunted. “Now I’ve seen everything.”

When the immediate danger didn’t show itself, Temmie hopped of Chara’s shoulder, her paws not designed for clinging to things for long. Instead she bounced around the shop, finding a pair of spectacles displayed in a case. She put her paws against the glass, and giggled when the glasses wrapped around her reflection’s face.

“You going to be buying anything, kid?” Gerson warned. “‘Cuz I’ll let you know I still have my old hammer in the back, and I’ve squashed loiterers before.”

Chara nodded to show him that they were _very serious_ about buying something and were not any sort of troublemaker, no siree. They began a walk through the small inlet in the cave, touring the few wares on display until they happened upon a few oddly shaped fruits labeled “crab apples.” Their stomach rumbled. They’d burned through the last of their cinnamon bunnies a day ago, and now every battle left them battered and unable to heal; if they did have to fight Alphys, they’d certainly need those to recover.

Just as they were about to point at the apples and ask for a bag, they spied another item above Gerson’s head. An obnoxious purple cereal box, plastered with the soppy attempts of amateur graphic design and lovingly labeled _Temmie Flakes_.

Chara’s heart jumped- and then promptly fell down when they saw the price. The gold Asgore had given them was long spent, and the money gathered in Waterfall was only enough to buy the box and maybe one or two apples…

A discrete glance in Temmie’s direction. She was still busy making faces into the glasses. Chara motioned Gerson over, and stood on their tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

* * *

“Human better now! Tem happy,” Temmie declared as they walked through the glowing mushrooms.

Chara nodded, their face full of apple and their stomach less pained. The cuts and scrapes—plus a bruise Aaron had given them—were now faded, and soon they’d be able to walk without passing out after only a few hours.

They smiled, and reached into their inventory. “I have something that’ll make you even happier.”

Temmie halted her bouncing walk through the darkness to face Chara. Her face flew right off her head when Chara presented the box to her.

“TEM FLAKES!!” she shouted, and Chara had to shush her just so she wouldn’t wake the whole Underground. “Tem Flakes!!!” she repeated.

Chara scooped Temmie onto their shoulder so they could pour out a handful of the colorful cereal(?) into their hand. The held it up for her, and she nibbled happily as the two of them walked. Half a box (and three mushroom puzzles solved) later, Temmie blinked suddenly.

“Where did human find Tem Flakes?”

Chara stopped themself from shrugging just in time. “In Waterfall.” But it still felt like a lie, because Temmie was nuzzling their face in concern. “…At Gerson’s shop.”

Temmie whined, so much like the dog Chara hand when they were a kid. Well, more of a kid. They tried hand more of the Temmie Flakes up to her, bush she pulled her snout away.

“Human should buy more food! Tem don’t need. Tem full.”

“Well it’s too late to go back,” Chara insisted. “I never see you eat anything, so you should have some more. You _must_ be hungry too.”

“Tem not hungry,” Temmie complained, her unchanging expression quivering on her head. “ _Human_ hungry.”

“I’m fine, I had some crab apples.” Even if they weren’t exactly full. “Come on Temmie please, just a little more.”

“No!”

“Don’t let food go to waste!”

“Tem _won’t_ -”

But what exactly Temmie wouldn’t do was lost as Chara’s foot caught a root and they went into the double digits of daily falls. Temmie went rolling, and Chara belly flopped into a puddle, the handful of flakes sinking in the cyan waters.

They struggled for a second, doing their best to keep the box from falling into the stream, when a voice behind them chirped, “well gee! You two sure look like you could use some help!”

Just to be sure what they were seeing, Chara pushed their damp bangs out of their eyes. No, that was definitely real. An honest to goodness talking flower was staring at the jostled adventuring party.

“Well where are my manners?” the flower said. His voice was incredibly cheerful, something Chara couldn’t help but cling to down here where insults were the standard greeting. “Howdy! I’m Flowey.”

“I’m Chara,” Chara replied softly. They pulled their knees to their chest, feeling like sitting was the best way to get on their new friend’s level.

“Hoi! I’m Temmie!” Temmie added. With a wag of her tail, she scrambled over and sniffed Flowey. “Flower smell good!”

(Was it Chara’s imagination, or did Flowey’s smile briefly flicker? No, no that was silly, the monster seemed just as delighted as ever.) “Well good to meet ‘cha! Though I do feel selfish keeping all these new friends to myself. You should come over to my village, meet the other Floweys!”   

“Wow!” Not only had Chara made their second friend ever, they were also about to be introduced to more. “We’d love too!”

Temmie yipped her ascent, and Chara was so excited they picked her up into their arms, planning on carrying her the whole way. Maybe they’d even have food there. And somewhere to sleep! As they followed Flowey around the bend in the cave, they didn’t even notice the root that had tripped them was nowhere to be found.

* * *

“Tem used to have village,” Temmie said sadly as they walked. “Lots of other Temmie. Tem miss them.”

Flowey didn’t hear her, his head in the dirt at the moment as he prepared to pop up further down the path.

“Where are they now?” Chara asked. They’d never heard her mention them before.

Temmie’s ears drooped further. “Gone. During human war. Temmies are good fighters…humans squash them first.”

Chara had never seen any indication that Temmie was a good fighter—in fact, as long as they’d known her she’d been a complete pacifist, always telling Chara that there were ways out of the Undergound that didn’t involve hurting anyone else. Maybe the war had left such scars that she just didn’t want to fight anymore?

“I’m sorry Temmie,” Chara said, pressing a nose to the top of her head. “It makes you feel better, I’m the last of my kind in the Undergound too.” Six other human souls, all fallen and stolen. Chara didn’t know much about the Queen but…from the stories they’d, they didn’t much want to meet her.

Temmie’s whimper of sympathy was cut short as Flowey stuck his head out again. “Aaand we’re here! Welcome to Flowey village.”

It was an open cave, a mural tucked against the wall and plenty of blooms nestled in the edges. A giant statue of a Flowey smiled brightly in the center, surrounded by even more living plants. Chara opened their mouth to comment on the cuteness of Flowey’s home, but a wave of cheerful smiles filled the clearing before they got the chance.

“Golly! What strange strangers!”

“Howdy there!”

“You fellas look like you could use some help!”

“Wowee.”

There were Floweys everywhere, smiling all with that same silly expression, crowding around Chara with all the charm of a well-rehearsed school play. Something about the comparison made Chara’s stomach crawl.

“Hello,” they greeted shyly. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

“Back ‘atcha!” Flowey—the first Flowey—said. “It’s been soooo long since we’ve had anyone to play with.”

Usually the word play would fill Chara’s heart with delight, but suddenly all the smiling faces had an odd twinge about them. Like they were bearing their teeth a little too sharply.

Chara hugged Temmie closer. “T-that actually sounds like a lot of fun, b-but Temmie and I can’t stay for long. Do you have any monster food we could trade for?”

Flowey _tsk_ ed, and wound closer to where the pair stood at the center of the village. “Food before introductions? Now you don’t mean to be rude do you?”

“Of course not!” Chara said, “We just-”

“And you two shouldn’t be running off so soon. Why, you only just got here!” He beamed. “The fun hasn’t even started.”

“Human,” Temmie muttered as softly as she was able. “Tem think we should go.”

Chara opened their mouth, to try and say goodbye to the Floweys once again, but suddenly the Flowey in front of them lunged forward with incredible speed. They took a step back, only for something to tighten around their leg. This time they did look down, eyes widening as they saw the green tendril ensnaring their boot.

“Didn’t your _mother_ ever teach you any _manners_?!” On each word the vine constricted tighter, just like the circle of malevolent flowers around them. The village’s eyes were nothing but wild now, and a few of them even cackled at Chara’s predicament.

“Hey! Let me go!” Chara said, kicking their leg. Not that begging had helped any other time they’d fought a monster. Of course this was an ambush! They were silly to think anything nice happened in the Undergound.

“Oh but you’re hungry ain’t ya?” a Flowey on the left called. “Why don’t you stay for dinner?”

Another vine burst from the ground. Temmie leaped from Chara’s arms as they fell, disappearing into the bouquet of evil laughs. Chara gasped as they felt their SOUL yanked from their body, the wind of the battle tearing through the village, screaming in their ears along with their own voice. Was this it? Another death, forcing them back to their last save point? Another day of trekking through the grass and mud lost and forced to repeat?

A tendril wrapped around their chest as they squirmed, powerless as the first of the magic attacks pounded them. Would they strangle Chara until they were blue in the face? Drag them further into the dirt, filling their mouth and lungs with dirt as they screamed for MERCY? There were so many awful ways to die, and the flowers just kept cackling-

A rumble turned the nearest Flowey’s head.

Chara kept struggling, even as their attacker’s attention turned to what could only be-

The giant flower statue was falling. Floweys shrieked, scrambling out of the way and releasing Chara’s restraints. The human rolled, only inches away from the murderous statue as it came crashing down, scattering the shrieking plants.

“Run!” Temmie shouted, scampering atop the defeated statue. “Run human!”

Chara didn’t need to be told twice. They pushed themself to their knees, then feet, then _bolted_ , ignoring the Floweys that recovered too slowly. Temmie was hot on their heels as they rounded the corner into the darkness beyond.

“Hey!” one Flowey shrieked. “Get back here you little brat!”

Chara ran. Chara ran until their lungs burned and their knees hurt, and then they ran until they noticed Temmie lagging behind. Then, they only stopped long enough to pick her into a football carry before they were running once again.

A Flowey or two may have chased them for a while, but they obviously weren’t built for speed, and Chara lost them as they scampered through the Waterfall’s tunnels. It wasn’t until their heart was pounding and their legs were ready to give out that they finally stopped, collapsing by the side of a river.

“I think,” they huffed, “we lost them.”

Temmie panted, her little tongue lolling out of her mouth. She took a few tentative steps to the river before dipping her snout into the running water.

Chara joined her, scooping up mouthfuls of refreshing (yet still garbage filled) water, and tried to get their breath back. Once the two of them were done gasping for air, Chara lunged at her, scooping her into a hug.

“Thank you so much Temmie,” they whimpered. “I was so scared…”

Temmie curled into their shoulder. “Tem wanted to chase them away. Tem sorry. Almost squash human.”

“It’s fine,” Chara said, setting her back down and rubbing their eyes. “You saved my life, and that’s what counts.” But those words didn’t feel right enough, didn’t fill the whole yawning in Chara’s chest. “And I…I just want you to know, that you’re my best friend in the whole world. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Temmie cocked her head to the side. “Human would be OK. Would make it. Human strong.”

“But I-” More tears sprung up in Chara’s eyes. “But I don’t want to make it! I want the two of us to get out of here, to spend the rest of our lives together.”

Although Temmie’s face never strayed from her cheerful little smile, Chara could see the way her ears drooped, deflating before their very eyes. “Human…Tem can’t go.”

“What do you mean you can’t go?” Chara scrubbed their face, trying to stop the spread of their perpetually reddened cheeks. “Just…when it’s time for me to leave, come with me OK?”

“ _No_.” Their distressed little whimper broke something in Chara’s heart. “Tem can’t. Tem get human out, human safe but…barrier. Tem can’t go with.”

“Then I’ll break the barrier!” Chara yelled, their voice bouncing until it became a boom in the endless tunnel. “I’ll break it and then you can come with.”

“No!!” Now Temmie was yelling too, spinning in circles as she chased her own tail. “Barrier stays, monsters stay. Monsters on surface, hurt even more humans!!”

Chara didn’t think they’d ever seen Temmie so distressed; the normally cheerful monster dug at the dirt with her paws, as though she tunnel them out of this mess all on her own. Chara’s shoulders sagged, wishing they knew what to do. “Temmie…I don’t want to go back. Up there…people can be just as bad, and I have no friends and…I can’t go back without you.”

Temmie stopped, finally, her tail drooping so low in drew patterns in the dirt. She crawled forward, stepping onto Chara’s lap and placing a paw on their face. “Human have to. Can’t stay here. Have to.”

Chara felt snot drip down the back of their throat, sickening their already damp body. They blew their nose in their hand, washing it in the river as an excuse not to look at Temmie.

She was right. They couldn’t stay down here. But abandoning her…they couldn’t think of anything worse.

“I don’t know what to do,” they admitted softly. Temmie didn’t say anything, just curled up tighter to their chest.

The two of them eventually found they couldn’t walk anymore, not after their exhausting run through the caverns. Instead, they found a patch of dirt that wasn’t damp enough to be mud yet and laid down for the night.

“I love you Temmie,” Chara whispered as the dog monster laid down beside them.

“Tem love human,” Temmie whispered back. Which was why she was doing this for them, but that part remained unsaid. The two laid in the glow of a near by echo flower, pretending everything would be better in the morning.


End file.
